Ballast car



J. H. RICHARDS BALLAST CAR Filed Marh 26. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I t*imm I mvr-:NToR @e S3 www WITNESS: ATTORNEY Oct. 14 1924. 1,511,424

, J. H. RICHARDS BALLAST CAR Filed March 26. 1923 5 Sheets-Shea?l 2 JA7. Ev'cardy INVENTOR ATTORN EY WITNESS:

oct. 14, 1924. 1,511,424

J. H. RICHARDS BALLAS T CAR Filed March 26. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5WITNESS: ATTORNEY J. H. RICHARDS BALLAST GAR Filed March 26. 1923 5Sheets-Sheet 5 el HRM;-

AITORNEY WITNESS:

Patented ct. i4, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN H. RICHARDS, OF POCATEL'LO, IDAHO.

BALLAST CAR.

Application led March 26, 1923.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, J oHN H. RioHARDs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pocatello, in the county of Bannock and State of Idaho, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Ballast Cars, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to dumping cars and aims to provide a car dividedlongitudinally into two car sections mounted for independent pivotalmovement, means being provided whereby said sections can be convenientlydumped with a minimum of effort.

In carrying out the invention, I make use of a drum having a chainconnected therewith and adapted to be wound about and unwound therefromto control the movements of the car body sections, with the free ends ofsaid chains having an adjustable connection with the car truck, in amanner to vary the degree of movement of the body sections necessary tooffset the center of gravity, which causes said body sections togravitate to their full dumped positions.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a brakemechanism for allowing the car body sections to gradually assume theirdumped positions, and means for holding the sections in any givenposition.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understoodwhen the following detailed description is read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction,combination, and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this application, like numerals ofreference indicate similar parts in the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car constructed in accordance with thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, showing the pivotal connection betweenthe body sections and the truck.

line

Serial No. 627,764.

mounted thereon.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A indicates the truck of the car,while the body is longitudinally divided to provide two identicallyconstructed sections indicated at l and C respectively. The truckincludes al plurality of cross sills preferably constructed of metal andof inverted U-shaped formation in cross section clearly indicated at 10in Figures 1 and 6. These sills have horizontally disposed attachingportions 11 which are secured in any suitable manner to the truck A.Also secured to the sides of the truck for each of said sills is a plate12 pro vided with a reinforcing rib 13 and an additional projectingportion 14, which constitutes a core received by the sill 1() tostrengthen the latter. These sills are arranged between the spacedflanges 15 arranged vertically on the outer side of each car bodysection, there being a pair of such flanges for each sill as illustratedin Figure l. A pivot rod 16, passes through the lower extremities ofthese flanges, which project below the bottom of the car body, alsopassing through the cross sill and core above referred to. In thismanner, the car body sections B and C are mounted for independentpivotal movement, so that either can be swung outwardly to a dumpedposition as illustrated in Figure 5.

For the purpose of elevating the car body sections to a point which willallow them to gravitate to their dumped positions, I make use of a drum17 mounted upon the shaft 18, which is journaled in a supportingstructure indicated generally at D and arranged at one end of the truckA. The shaft 1S supports a wheel 19 over which is trained a chain 20,this chain being also trained over a similar wheel 21 fixed upon a shaft22 arranged beneath and in parallelism with the shaft 18. A larger wheel23 is fixed upon the shaft and over which is trained a chain 24, thelatte being also passed over a wheel 25 fixed upon a shaft 26, which isjournaled in the supporting structure D beneath and in parallelism withthe shaft 22. The shaft 26 is adapted to be manually rotated by means ofav hand wheel or the like 27, and

motion is transmitted from this shaft to the shaft 18 by reason of theconnection between the shafts as just described. By reason of theconstruction, shown and described, the shaft 18 may be rotated with aminimum of effort in order to elevate the car body sec tions. Associatedwith the drum 17 are chains 28 which are adapted to be wound about andunwound from the drum, depending of course, upon the direction ofrotation of the shaft .18. The free end of each `of these chains isprovided with a snaphook 29 which is adapted to be coupled to theadjacent end of the chains 30 associated with the car bodysections. Itis of course tobe understood that each body section B and C isprovidedwith one of the chains 30, which `is arranged tovextend across thebottom of the particular section of the car and thence vupwardly Valongone side thereof, being terminally provided with a ring 21 to accomHmodatethe snap hool; 29 above referred to. Each chain y,30passesfbetweenspaced rollers 32 mounted on a lcorner extension 33 in amanner clearly illustrated in Figures 5 and 8. `vrPhe ring 31 normallyreceives a projection 34 carried-by the car body to normally holdrthechainin a position shown in Figure 5 at theleft hand `side ofthe figure,while the other end of this chain is provided with a snap'lioolr 35adapted to be interchangeably yassociated with vthe spaced eye members36 supported-'by the car truck A. rlhe purpose `for this adjustableconnection will be presently described.

From the structure thus far described, it is manifest that .either ofthe car body sections can be swung upon its pivots to a dumped positionby simply connecting one `of the chains-28 with the rings 31 offone ofthe chains V30 associated with said body section.r l-Then by turning theshaft 26 in a manner described, the connecting chains 28 and 30 arewound about the drum, thereby elevating .the particular body section toa point where the said section is gravitated to its dumped position.` Inorder tojpermit the carbody togradually assume this position after thesaid body has passed beyond the center of gravity, I provide abrake drum88. which is mounted uponthe shaft-26, and connect the free endsof thebrake element 39 with a manually operable lever 40, so thatbymanipulating the leverthe car body will l.be allowed to gradually assumeits dumped position. lIn order to hold the car body in any vdesiredposition, 1 provide a ratchet wheel 41, which is mounted on thesha-ft22, and cooperating with this ratchet wheel are the pawls 42clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The degree of elevationnecessary tooffset the center oflgravity,\va ries 1n accordance with theparticular character of the'load contained in the body sectionsB .and C,and in order to facilitate the ticular feature, wherein it will be notedthat with a high load, it is necessary to slightly tilt the body sectionto the position illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 5, and in whichinstance, the lower Vendjof the chain 8() is connected to theinnermosteyeG. On the contrary however, when the body section contains a.low load, it is only necessary to tilt the body to a greater extentiniorder to offset the center of gravity for the purpose abovementioned, and in this instance, the lower end of the chain 3() isconnected to-the outermost eye 36 as `shown by full linesjin Figure 5.

Arranged at the other end of the car.y

that is the end opposite the supporting sections .are adapted to restwhen vthe see-v` tions are in their normal positions as illus trated inFigure 3. The sections aremain-v tained in this position by means ofvasubstantially U-shaped clamp 45, which `embraces the adjacent sides ofthecar body sections as shown in the Asaine figure, .and

also by means of va bolt 46 which slides in,

suitable guides 47 mounted on the supporting structure E. The bolt isprovided with an opening to provide a locking' pin 4S shown in Figure 1.The shaft 18 is .j0ur nalled in the adjacent post 44'as-shown.

To prevent endwise movement ofthe car body sections, 1 provide crossbars 49, which are arranged in end toend relation as sho-wn in Figure,and pivotally mounted on the adjacent post 44. Thenormal position ofthese cross barsis indicated by dotted lines 50 in .Figure 3, extendingacross the ,end of the car body sections and supported vin this positionby ribs 51, which pro-ject from` the free ends of said bars land reposeupon the upper-,edge of the `car body sections. `When it is desired tomove either of thesaid sections to a dumped position, the bar `49provided for the particular section `isole vated, and supported in anelevated position in a manner shown in Figure 3. 1t willlbe noted inthis connection 'that ,1 A`hav-eeniplojfed a pair of L-shapedvsupporting :elements'40, each of which is provided with a `pivot 41journalled inza suitable Ybracket as clearly shown in Figure 2, Villienthe bars 29 are swung upwardly ;to inactive positions, they contact theadjacent ends of the elements 40, whichfmove upon their pivots to allowthe bars 49 to be :angularly disposed as shown by dottedlines inFigureWhen thus arranged, the bars 40 are returned to their normal positionsengaging the underside of the bars 49 to suppo-rtthem in the positionsshown in Figure 3. The supporting structures D and E each include aplate 53, and one of these plates is designed to provide curved edges54, Figure 4 which project beyond the opposite sides of the drum 17, sothat the contents of the ear body sections will not in any Way interferewith the o-peration of the drumor the chains associated therewith.

I/Vhat I claim is l. In a dump car, a truck, car body sections mountedfor independent pivotal movement, a drum, chains associated with saiddrum and adapted to be wound about and unwound therefrom, said chainsbeing connected with said body sections, and means for adjustablyconnecting the lowei ends of the chains with said truck to vary thedegree of elevation necessary to offset the center of gravity of eachbody section, and means for rotating the drum.

2. In a dump car, a truck, ear body sections mounted for independentpivotal movement, means for elevating said sections to offset the centerof gravity and allowing said section to gravitate to a dumped position,a manually operalble brake for checking the fall of said section, andmeans for holding said section in any given position.

3. In a dump car, a truck, car body sections mounted for independentpivotal movement, means for elevating said sections to offset the centerof gravity and allow said section to gravitate to a dumped position,said means including a drum, chains associated with said sections andconnected with the drum to be wound about or unwound therefrom, meansfor rotating said drum, means for connecting the lower ends of saidchains to different points oir' the truck for the purpose specified, andinanually operable means for controlling the tall of said section as itassumes its dumped position.

4. In a dump car, a truck, car body sections mounted for independentmovement, a corner extension projecting from each body section, meansfor elevating said sections to offset the center of gravity and allowsaid sections to gravitate to a dumped position, said means including adrum,

chains connected with said drum and adapted tobe wound about and unwoundtherefrom, spaced rollers on each extension, and between which saidchains pass, the chains for the respective sections being normallyarranged at one side and extended across the bottoms thereof, .means foradjustably connecting the lower ends of said chains with said truck forthe purpose specified, and means for rotating said drum.

5. In a dump car, a truck including a plurality of cross sills oflJ-shaped formation in cross section, a core for each sill, car bodysections mounted 'for inde-pendent pivotal movement, spaced flangesarranged on each car section and receiving said sills, a pivot for eachcar section passed through the sills and said flanges, and means forelevating the said sections to offset the center of gravity and allowsaid sections to gravitate to dumped positions.

6. In a dump car, a truck, car body sections mounted tor independentpivotal .movement toward and away from each othor, means for holdingsaid sections side by side normally, means for preventing endwisemovement of said sections, means for elevating said sections to odsetthe center of gravity and allow the section to gravitate to a dumpedposition, a manually operable brake tor checking the fall of eithersection, and means for holding either of said sections in any givenposition.

7. In a dump car, a truck, car body sections mounted for independentpivotal movement, means for elevating said sections to oiiset the centerof gravity and to allow said sections to gravitate to a dumpingposition, said means including a drum, chains associated with eachsection, chains associated with said drums and adapted to be connectedwith the chains of said sections, and further adapted to be wound aboutand unwound from said drum, means tor rotating said drum, means forconnecting the lower ends of the first mentioned chains to differentpoints on the truck for the purpose specied, and means for controllingthe fall.

of said sections as it assumes its dumping' position.

In testimony whereof l. ailiX my signature.

JOI-IN H. RICHARDS.

